


(not so) cool in college

by aflutiebutnotacutie



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz (Two River Cast) RPF
Genre: College AU, I'll add characters as they come in, Jeremy and Christine friendship, M/M, Panic Attack, Platonic Relationships, boyf riends - Freeform, music! michael, theatre! christine, theatre! jeremy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 12:19:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14402010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aflutiebutnotacutie/pseuds/aflutiebutnotacutie
Summary: Jeremy and Christine are in their first year of college and trying to find themselves in the chaos.(i want all the characters to be in this but they aren't in the tags yet but i'll put them in when they appear)





	1. College is an oof

Jeremy Heere

A 19 year old theatre major stuck living in a dorm and wondering how college is better than high school.

Status: single and ready to mingleeee~ jk. Stuck trying to stay awake in the school coffee shop at precisely 3:27 am while calling his best friend.

“Ughhh I just can’t understand how he doesn’t sleep! Why did I ever think it was okay to room with a physics major?” He whined into the phone

“You should’ve just moved in with me!” Christine said over the phone while giggling

“I know, I know I just wasn’t confident with paying rent but now I am definitely regretting it” Jeremy sank into his chair

\-------

20 yards away a tall figure, wide awake with caffeine, saunters over to get a snack.

The boy, Michael Mell, has dark messy hair and dark circles under his eyes from the total of 3 hours of sleep in one week.

Checking the time on his phone Michael groans and drags on for his mission. Music blares from the headphones around his neck but somehow he is still the only person that can hear it. A small bell rings as he opens the door to the shop and walks in. The air is filled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and that kinda new car smell with the remodeling of this place. He makes his way over to the counter which is tucked away in the small right corner and orders a chocolate muffin cause what else are you supposed to get at this time of night?

The universe, a constant changing thing, has a funny way of working. Two boys, alone in a coffee shop, have no idea who the other one is. No memories of each other or recognition and yet here they are in the middle of the night both trying to get away from awful roommates. All it could take to meet would be a small smile or wave. Alas, that was not meant to be, as the universe didn’t let that happen.

After Michael collects his items he brushes by a guy slightly shorter than him and almost drops all his stuff. The kid shoots him a small glare that really didn’t have any emotion behind it because of his exhaustion. Michael didn’t notice with his red pulled up and masking his face. He huffed down into a chair and noticed the boy walk out looking like a wreck. His hair was all over the place,a backpack hanging off one shoulder, and shoulders drooped with his energy.

Michael laughed slightly at the sight. _At least I don’t look as bad as him._ He scrolled through his phone and ate his muffin in peace.

\-------

Jeremy strolled over to the bus station to ride over to Christine’s place, seeking refuge from his weird roommate. He knocked on her door a few times till she opened the door.

“Sorry to both-”

“Ah! Nope! You did not bother me! I was working on plans since tech week is closing in on us fast.” Christine babbled on as she led Jeremy in. She was right. Her apartment was filled with books and scripts scattered all over the place while trying to plan for the next few weeks.

“The guest room is always open so you can just curl up there”

“Chris you are a lifesaver” Jeremy sighed as he entered the room. He snuggled under the covers and soon enough was off to sleep.

\-------

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Jeremy’s alarm rang loudly with no mercy. Jeremy groaned and slowly climbed out of bed. He put together his breakfast, got dressed, and headed out for his classes today. Luckily, since both him and Christine were theater majors, they had a few classes together. Every so often he would find himself daydreaming about this or that and Christine would just nudge him or take a little bit of notes for him. What were best friends for?

After class the two of them walked to a near cafe for a small lunch.

“You know, I thought college would be much better. Getting to meet people who wanna do what you do, possibly finding a girlfriend or boyfriend, or just actually having a slight social life.” Jeremy complained

“Hey it’s just our first year, I’m sure you’ll meet plenty of new people for multiple reasons. And hey! This show will for sure get you closer with other theater majors. Also, if you spot anyone you always know I’ll be your best wing woman” Christine says with a slight nudge and skip in her step. Jeremy laughs and sits down at a table ready to order.

Two hours later of planning for tech week, Christine and Jeremy walk back to Jeremy’s dorm building. As the two part their ways Jeremy remembers he promised to help clean and move things in the theater. He quickly rushes up to his dorm and grabs a backpack full of necessities while veering away from his roommate and leaves for the theater.


	2. Pianoooooo

Jeremy slipped into the theater and began to work. He swept the stage, filed away papers and scripts, and organized and missing tech pieces. As he went backstage to put some cables away he noticed an old grand piano. It still shined with the few lights on and had a welcoming sense to it.

Jeremy crept over to the instrument and sat down on the rickety chair and placed his hands on the keys. Now Jeremy wasn’t an expert at piano but he could still play a few pieces that he liked. He started moving his fingers in the familiar pattern of one of his favorite pieces which just so happened to be a broadway song cause theatre kids ya know? The music filled the empty theatre and echoed all throughout the seats. He soon got lost in the music and began to sing.

\-------

_Fine make me do all the work_ Michael thought as he stomped through campus. He had finals to study for and music to practice so he really did not want to go figure out where that one kid’s missing guitar was. I mean, how do you even lose a guitar?

As he neared the theater doors he gently pushed them open just in time for a melody to start. Michael peered his head inside to see who was playing. With no success and a job to get done, he sneaked inside.

He was instantly entranced by the stranger but tried to find the guitar and get out. He was not in the mood to talk to strangers. But then the universe gave him a reason to stay. Michael stopped dead in his tracks as the mystery person began to sing.

Their voice fit the piece perfectly, emotion shining through almost making you believe this was how they really felt. He wanted to hear _more_ so he moved closer while also searching for the guitar.

_Step out, step out of the sun if you keep getting burned_

_Step out, step out of the sun because you’ve learned_

_Because you’ve learned_

When the chorus began the notes got slightly softer and let the voice expand.

_On the outside always looking in, will I, ever be more than I’ve always been?_

The voice matched perfectly with the song and Michael felt his heart pang at the lyrics, wishing he could hug whoever was singing. You could tell the singer didn’t hold back and let their emotions go through the song.

Michael, still slowly walking, managed to get a small view of the person, now boy, sitting and playing. He slowly recognized him and shifted to get a better look. If that boy wasn’t giving emotion through his voice he sure was giving it through his face. He perfectly portrayed the song which caused Michael to furrow his brows in sadness.

_Can anybody see? Is anybody waving back at me?_

Michael leaned up against the wall and then spotted the dreaded guitar out of the corner of his eye. He quietly walked over to it and picked it up carefully to not disturb the singer. He went back over to his previous spot just when a new sort of melody started.

_Do you ever really crash or even make a sound?_

The song started to build as the lyrics progressed and the singer began to seem almost panicky and lost with the lyrics. Michael was completely into the tiny performance and loved hearing and seeing everything the boy did. The melody swelled and grew louder until a very small voice came out

_Will I ever make a sound?_

The boy sounded so helpless and sad.

Ah the universe. It does funny things you see. Makes things happen that you don’t want to happen no matter what you plea.

At this moment, Michael’s grip on the guitar slipped and it came crashing to the ground. Both boys jumped, “Shit!” Michael cursed, rushing to pick up the guitar. The two made eye contact, the boy at the piano looked terrified.

\-------

Jeremy’s heart was in his throat. His hands started shaking and his breathing became ragged. He scrambled to pick up his things and tripped over himself and fell on the ground. He heard footsteps coming closer but pushed himself up and ran off as fast as he could.

“Wait!” the other boy called after him but Jeremy just kept moving.

He sprinted all the way back to his dorm and jumped into his bed, thanking whatever power in the world that his roommate wasn’t there. Why did I think that was a good idea? His mind raced and tried to steady his breathing. He groaned and rubbed his eyes wishing that had never happened. His knee throbbed from hitting the ground after falling and he reached down to grab his phone from his bag.

jeremy: pls remind me whyyyyy i think it is a good decision to belt my feelings out in an empty theater for anyone to hear

christine: i thought you were cleaning it out, not cleaning your soul out

jeremy: it had a really nice piano i couldnt help it and then someone heard me singing and i ran off and i think they were actually kinda cute and ughhhh now’s not the time for me to fall for some random guy

christine: didn’t you just say you wanted a relationship :P

jeremy: …

jeremy: the show is being performed in a few weeks so no… maybe? Ughhhh i dont know,,,,,

christine: alright alright just get some sleep. Finals always suck

Jeremy clicked off his phone and stared at the ceiling. He pondered on the thought of the boy and who he was and why he was there. He silently prayed that he would never see him again.

Oh how the universe works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 2 NOTES  
> oof i might update twice this week cause this chapter was kinda short  
> hope you liked it!! have a good night/day wherever you are


	3. rehearsal lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 3 NOTES  
> yo how do you make the past notes go away so there aren't multiple notes on a chapter??

Michael ended up in one of the practice rooms but not actually practicing cause that took too much work. He was slouched on a piano bench while on the computer. He had his headphones pulled up and his face was scrunched in focus. He took a small swig of the soda next to him and tried to stay on the dreaded task of studying. 

Suddenly a loud banging was at the door. A girl with light blonde hair and bright blue eyes stood there looking in with a slight smile. She pushed open the door and said, “Hey Mikey did you ever find that guitar?” Michael groaned in reply, “Oh come onnnn”

“Yes I did but why does it even matter?”

“‘Cause we are starting full orchestra rehearsals soon and we need all the instruments ready. I thought you knew thisss” the girl said in a teasing voice

“Yeah yeah I found it.”

“You don’t sound so happy about it. Wanna talk about it?” She sat down next to him on the piano bench, “Um...yeah I guess” he replied putting his computer away

“When I was there, there was this guy and- Brooke holy cow! He was playing the piano and singing and oh my god he was singing that one song from Dear Evan Hansen...um…”

“Waving Through A Window?”

“Yeah! And- and he sounded so beautiful and then of course with my clumsy self I just had to go and mess it up by dropping the guitar and scaring the kid so he ran off! I also think he was the same guy I bumped to at the coffee shop.”

“The kid who was a mess”

“Yeah but a pretty cute one” He said with a slight laugh. He sighed a let his head fall into in his hands. Brooke rubbed his back comfortingly, “Wanna grab some food and then help set up the pit?”

“Yeah” 

They exited the practice room and strolled over to a small place called Grub In The Club and filled up on food for enough energy for moving a bunch of instruments. After lunch the two started dragging (more like carefully carrying) instruments into the theater and setting them up. Each little click and movement echoed in the theater. Soon enough some actors came on stage to run through a few scenes while they were working. Michael blocked them out as he worked and connected all the cables.

Michael started testing each and every instrument not really caring if it was interfering with the actors. After an hourish of working he finally finished and packed up. He threw his hood back up and exited out of the pit and started walking back to his dorm. 

\-------

Christine was guiding the actors through small little reminders in their scenes. 

Meanwhile, Jeremy was half paying attention and taking in the architecture of the theatre. The noise from the pit, even though it was slightly distracting and a cacophony of noise, seemed to fit in the calmness that was in the theater. He was looking out into the rows of seats with wide eyes and just imagining what performing here was going to be like. In all his day dreaming he saw a flash of red in the pit. Curious, he snuck a little closer.

The same boy from the coffee shop and the day before was leaving. Christine noticed Jeremy’s focus and followed his gaze. She smiled a little and whispered to him, “Go get him” and winked

Jeremy was contemplating whether to go or not until Christine forcefully shoved him all the way to the stage door and out of it. He spotted the tall boy walking down the sidewalk and chased after him, “Hey!” Stupid headphones “Hey red hoodie!” Said boy pulled his headphones off slightly and looked around, shrugged, and kept walking. Jeremy kept trying to get his attention but those darn headphones blocked everything out. Not being in much shape from the stress of college Jeremy couldn’t keep up with the boy. He stopped running, panting heavily. He gave up and slumped back to the theater.

Rehearsal just ended so Christine was packing up a few things before she left. As the door behind Jeremy shut Christine looked up with shock, then sadness. 

“What happened?” She asked with sympathy. Jeremy just looked down and shrugged and then Christine wrapped her arms around him. “It’s alright, I mean I did wish I never saw him again so…” He laughed slightly

“Well I guess this means he will work in the pit all show so this won’t be the last time you see him!” Christine said trying to look on the bright side. “Yeah I guess you’re right”

\-------

The next couple days passed by with neither boy seeing the other. 

Christine bounced down the hallway in the fine arts hall and ran into a dark haired boy. The two of them dropped all of the stuff they were carrying and exchange apologies. Christine finally looked up and the realization hit her, “Hey are you the guy that walked in on my friend playing piano?”

“Um-”

“It’s totally okay! I just feel like you two need to meet considering you keep running into each other.” The boy flushed a slight pink and tripped over his words, “I-um I don’t know that doesn’t seem like-”

“Oh come on!”

“No, talking to people isn’t really my thing” He quickly got up and rushed out. Christine looked over her shoulder and glared at him with frustration. She was going to make this happen. Somehow.


	4. they meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> piano yo

With tech week beginning, Michael was constantly in the pit and working with the others there. Everyone was working together well and actually kept track of their business. He started having fun with everyone and cracking jokes in between takes. Brooke, who he already knew of course, was praying that when the production actually began her tone quality would sound good. Ah the struggles of a flute player.

Michael became really good friends with the guy on drums. His name was Rich and he was a small dude who was super sarcastic and friendly. He mainly was close with him and Brooke and they soon made a little friendship. Throughout practice Michael’s fingers danced across the keys of the piano and created a wonderful melody in the musical. All the instruments fed off of one another and swirled into a beautiful piece. Towards the end something happened with Brooke’s flute. A small screw fell out somehow and cause multiple leaks in it. Luckily it was the end of rehearsal but that meant Michael would now have to stay after to repair her flute.

After a brief inspection it seemed that there was more issues than just the leaks. A process that would take a few minutes turned into a little more than an hour. Mind you it was around 11:00 and Michael hadn’t eaten since lunch. Also, he could use all this time studying but right now Brooke’s flute seemed more important. He was exhausted

\-------

When Michael opened his eyes he was a little lost at where he was. It took him a few blinks of his eyes to realize he was still in the pit and fell asleep fixing the flute. The theater was only lit by a dim light on stage, the ghost light. He quietly sat up and rubbed his face when a small [song](https://turtlecornsforthewin.tumblr.com/post/169962210269/fromanotherroom-clair-de-lune-playing-from) began.

It wasn’t anything like the past one. This one started off slow and calm and was a little lighter. It instantly filled Michael with a bittersweet feeling, like a lost lover or friend. Instead of getting up and looking at who was playing he stayed down and just relaxed. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the piano in the pit. The notes danced all around the theater and seemed to bring a new light into the darkness. Speeding up, the pianist still kept the piece under control. It was like he knew exactly what he was doing and every movement had a purpose. Michael realized he hadn’t felt like this in a long time and fell deeper into the peace. The way the notes fell into line created an overwhelming color of blues and lavenders across Michael’s closed eyes. It was magnificent and wanted to stay here forever. Soon enough the last notes were played.

He heard a tiny bit of papers crinkling and feet shuffling as the pianist got up to leave. The footsteps stopped right before the stage door and then slowly began louder and louder. He sensed someone right above him. “Hey” A small voice whispered. Michael glanced up and saw that oh-so-famous boy sitting criss-cross at the edge of the stage smiling down at him. “Hello” Michael replied.

The boy onstage seemed a little flustered and messed with his shoelaces, “I uh...I noticed you were still here so I brought you this” He pulled out a small take out bag and handed it to Michael. He peered into the bag and saw a chocolate muffin. “I just remembered you ordering it that one night and… yeah.” A small pink tint was on his cheeks and then his head shot up. “Oh! I’m Jeremy by the way”

“I’m Michael”

The two just looked at each other for a second. “How long have you been playing for?” Michael asked

“What?”

“The piano”

“Oh I just...I taught myself in junior year of high school and just know a few things. I just do it for fun”

Michael tried to hide his shock

“Dude! You’re kidding right? You are insanely good!”

“I wouldn’t say that…” Jeremy said getting even redder

Michael just laughed in response

“I’m a music major by the way”

“Oh I’m a theatre major”

Suddenly Jeremy’s phone began to ring loudly. He scrambled to pick his phone up and answered it. “Yes...yeah I know...maybe...okay, okay! I’ll be over soon!” He turned off his phone and faced Michael again.

“Sorry my friend Christine needs me so I gotta go.”

“Alright get home safe” Michael watched him pack up and walk. He was almost to the door when Michael remembered, “Wait!” Jeremy turned back around. “Could I possibly have your number”

Jeremy became very flustered once again and looked down, “Um-um yeah! Totally!” He took Michael’s phone from him when he got onstage and entered his number. “There he said. “I’ll see you around?”

“Definitely” Michael replied. Happiness swam in his chest as he watched the boy go.

\-------

Jeremy seemed to be staying at Christine’s place more often with his roomate getting into a more hectic groove since finals were coming soon. He softly shut the apartment door behind him and changed into more comfortable clothes. Christine was still awake and was organizing things in her small kitchen. Hearing Jeremy emerge from his room she looked over at him, “How’d it go?”

Jeremy looked at the ground with a small smile, “He’s really nice”

Christine practically bounced with excitement, “I told you it would work!”

“He said I was really good at piano and he seemed so genuine and ugh! This light from the small lamp made his skin look so smooth and I just wanted to run my hands through his hair and-” Christine giggled and Jeremy rolled his eyes, “Okay yeah yeah I’m rambling”

“No it’s great! Did you get his number?”

“Yeah he actually asked me for mine”

“Awwwwww”

“Shuddup” Jeremy muttered. The doorbell rang and Christine went to open the door. “Thank you!” she chirped and turned around to face Jeremy.

“You ordered pizza at two a.m.? I didn’t even know they ordered at this time.”

“Yep! Now come on” Christine dragged Jeremy over to the couch. They sat eating pizza and Jeremy gushed over how he thought Michael was so amazing. Slowly but surely, Jeremy’s anxiety came into place

“What if it turns out that he doesn’t like me? What if he thinks I’m some freak?”

“He would never think that Jeremy”

“You don’t know that!” A pause as Jeremy slips into a deeper panic, “What if he turns out like him?” He asks softly, almost a whisper. Jeremy’s ex was awful. He caused Jeremy to believe he was always right and Jeremy was always wrong. He made Jeremy feel awful about himself and Jeremy thought he would never escape their relationship.

“I promise you I will be there one hundred percent of the way so no matter what happens I will be right here” Jeremy’s panic eased slightly, “Thank you Chris”

“It’s no problem but how about you text him?” Jeremy blushed at the idea

“I don’t know…”

“Oh my goooooossssshhh” Christine flopped backwards onto the couch dramatically, “You are so difficult sometimes” She moaned. Jeremy laughed a little at that.

“I’ll text him tomorrow” Jeremy left the couch and strolled over to his room. He flopped onto the bed and got comfortable under the covers. While his thoughts raced his breathing somehow slowed and he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 4 NOTES  
> oof i hope you enjoyed!!  
> the piece jeremy played is a favorite of mine and holds a spot in my heart because of my best friends so yea.  
> if you couldn't guess from my username, i play flute! and yea the amount of leaks ive had is...ugh. leaks are the worst.   
> if you wanna find me on tumblr i am whaleswithwings73 :) or turtlecornsforthewin but that is my more personal account. the whales one is for fandoms and stuff like that and i am more on that one :)
> 
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! have good day/night wherever you are!!


	5. haha idk man

Early in the morning Jeremy woke up with bleary eyes. He crawled out of bed and stretched. Rubbing his eyes, Jeremy walked out to Christine making breakfast. His eyes widened at the smell. It was so much better than all he had eaten at all this year.

“How do even have the money for such food?” Jeremy asked in amazement.

Christine just shrugged with a small smile. They ate in comfortable silence and watched the news. Soon enough the two were finished and headed to another rehearsal.

Jeremy hoped he would see Michael. At any chance he peeked to watch and see what Michael was doing. Michael suddenly looked up and made eye contact with him. His face split into a cheeky grin and he waved. Jeremy managed a small wave back. Later he saw Michael talking to a small blonde girl. They seemed really close. Really close. Michael had his arm around her shoulder and they both laughed at whatever Michael was talking about. Jeremy’s posture slumped at the sight. Of course he has a girlfriend. Of course.

3 hours later it was lunch break. A new friend Christine and Jeremy made, Chloe, invited them to go with her and her friends. Christine happily agreed. “I’m not so sure” Jeremy pondered

“Come with! It’s another chance to meet people!” Jeremy gathered his stuff and followed Christine out to where Chloe was waiting.

“I have two friends that still have to get here” Chloe said looking around. “Oh! Here they are!”

Jeremy died just about then. The people walking toward them were Michael and his girlfriend. Chloe introduced everyone to each other. Michael grinned at Jeremy but Jeremy didn’t do much to reply. He looked down as they walked, Michael beside him. He could almost feel Michael’s eyes on him, trying to figure out what was going on. When they got to the restaurant it was packed.

“The hostess said it would be about 45 minutes to an hour” Christine said with a bit of worry.

“I mean we have a 3 hour break so it should be fine” (it was a weird rehearsal day)

They sat in the waiting area for a little while. Jeremy learned that Chloe was actually an English major and eventually wanted to teach little kids. Also that Brooke was another music major and had know Michael for a while. The room suddenly got very loud, too loud for Jeremy. His breathing quickened and his vision got blurry. Christine immediately noticed and grabbed his hand, grounding him, “You okay?”

Jeremy nodded, “Yeah I’m just gonna step outside for a little bit.”

Being in the city meant noise constantly so being outside didn’t really help. He sat down on a bench and tried to control his breathing. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he felt his hands stop shaking and his heart rate return to normal. He watched the cars pass by and felt someone sit next to him. The figure spoke softly

“You doing alright?” Michael. It was Michael

“Um...yeah” Jeremy breathed out.

“Okay good Christine was really worried about you.”

An awkward silence filled the air

“So how long have you and Brooke-” “Are you and Christine-”

Both boys froze and looked at each other then laughed.

“You ask first” Michael said

“How long have you and Brooke been together?” Jeremy hoped his voice sounded normal and not sad. The expression on Michael’s face did not answer what Jeremy was expecting.

“What?”

“You and Brooke? She’s your girlfriend?” Michael’s face slowly went red and then he started laughing again. Seeing Jeremy’s confused expression Michael answered, “Oh my gosh dude no. I’m definitely gay”

“I’m sorry what?” Jeremy felt his heart racing again

“Yeah dude, I mean I got the patch and everything” He pointed to a tiny gay pride flag patch on the side of his hoodie. Jeremy just stared until he remembered Michael was going to ask him something.

“Oh! What were you gonna ask?”

“Is Christine your girlfriend?”

Now it was Jeremy’s turn to laugh.

“No way dude, I mean, I love her but not in that way. We’re just best friends.”

Michael’s eyes seemed a little brighter at that.

“Oh also I’m bi…” Jeremy nervously said Michael just grinned wide

“Nice” he replied Brooke opened the restaurant door to yell at them to come inside. Both boys got up and before Michael opened the door he looked over at Jeremy “Are you sure you’re okay”

“Yeah I’m good now” Jeremy ignored how Michael’s caring nature gave him butterflies.

The meal was good as they all talked and learned about each other. Jeremy found out him and Michael were into the same video games. Including Pacman and Apocalypse of the Damned and many more. Also that Michael loved music and wanted to write his own some day.

Jeremy studied Michael while he talked. When he talked about his future he seemed so passionate and kind and Jeremy felt the energy coming off of him. Jeremy ended up telling him that he wanted to continue in musical theatre after college and hopefully make it to Broadway one day.

Checking the clock, Jeremy reminded everyone that rehearsal started in 15 minutes so they payed and walked back to the theater.

They were going to do an entire run through the show with pit but without tech. Jeremy was fortunate enough to have a solo in the musical but he was still nervous to perform. His mind rushed as his solo slowly came up. Jeremy looked out into the empty audience and began his piece. The words came easily to him and he confidently sang along with the orchestra beneath. His voice smoothly sailed along with the instruments and he felt a small smile on his face. A small tingle went up his arms as he continued. Suddenly his mind blanked. He froze onstage as the music continued. He frantically searched his mind to continue the song but with no luck he just stood there. Not soon enough the instruments quieted with the end of the piece and Jeremy quickly walked off stage. Jeremy passed Christine with some sort of “I’m going to get water”.

He rushed out of the theater and into a small stairwell where no one was. Tears were already streaming down his face as he slid down the wall. He couldn’t control his breathing and his shoulders shook with his sobs. _You can’t do anything right._ His breath caught in his throat. No. No no no nononononono not that voice. _You can never make it on your own._ His ex’s voice rang in his head and he panicked even more. He pulled his legs close to him and cried harder. There was no way for him to calm down now as he heard his ex’s comments. This panic attack seemed like it would never end.

Suddenly Jeremy felt arms around him and a hand holding his head. His eyes cleared slightly as he tried to figure out who was hugging him. He saw red in front of him and recognized the voice, “Shhh it’s okay Jer” He teared up again seeing that someone cared this much to come and see if he was okay. Michael kept hugging Jeremy and whispering to him, hoping that it would help him. Jeremy was surprised he was slowly calming down. No one had ever been able to help him through a panic attack, not even Christine.

Michael pulled back a little and looked into Jeremy’s eyes,

“Are you doing okay?” His eyebrows were knit together in worry. Jeremy sniffled and nodded his head in a strong no. Michael kept one arm behind Jeremy’s back and put his other hand on his shoulder. Jeremy’s crying had slowed but his anxiety was still really high. The two boys stayed like that for a few more minutes.

“Y-you should get back to rehearsal” Jeremy mumbled to Michael.

“It ended a 15 minutes ago”

Jeremy froze for a second. He forgot how long it took for him to recover from a panic attack. Did Michael really stay that long with him?

“Do you think you can get up?”

Michael held his hand out for Jeremy and slowly helped him up. Michael kept his hand in his and kept his eyes on him.

“My place is a five minute walk from here if that’s okay with you” Jeremy nodded and walked slowly with Michael, who had an arm slung behind Jeremy’s back. They reached Michael’s place and climbed the stairs. Michael unlocked his door with a small key that looked like a guitar, Jeremy noted. Michael welcomed Jeremy in and sat him down on the couch. He returned with a cup of hot chocolate even though it was spring. Michael also wrapped a soft, fluffy blanket around Jeremy. Jeremy took a sip of his drink and felt the warmth roll down his throat and warm him up inside. Also, wow this was probably the best hot chocolate Jeremy had ever had. He glanced over at Michael who just so happened to be looking at him. Jeremy suddenly felt bad.

“I’m sorry about that whole thing. You didn’t have to come after me. I just, I have anxiety and sometimes it just comes out of nowhere and I-” Jeremy kept rambling but Michael interrupted him

“Hey” Jeremy looked back into his eyes “it’s alright” Michael said softly, reaching out to put a hand on Jeremy’s knee.

“You can’t really control those kinds of things and I know how scary they can be”

Jeremy bit his lip and looked down

“Yeah but you still didn’t have to come after me”

“Well you’re my friend so I did”

Once again, Jeremy looked up and his eyes became glassy with tears again.

“Whoah, hey did I do something wrong?” Michael asked

“No! No no I just- I just have never have had someone who had cared this much about me”

“Well don’t worry cause I have a feeling we are going to be friends for a long time” They both laughed and Michael scooted closer to Jeremy. The two talked for a little while until Jeremy’s voice became hoarse with overuse. He felt his eyelids starting to droop and before long he fell asleep with his head on Michael’s shoulder. Michael looked over at the boy asleep and grinned slightly. He carried the smaller boy in his arms and carefully carried him over to his bed and tucked him in. He closed his bedroom door quietly and went back to the couch and fell asleep there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's been a while!! ive been busy with exams and trips! I'm back now and school gets out this week for summer!! sorry for the angst whoops. anyways... i hope you enjoyed :) i feel like this series is kinda rushed but who knows.  
> tumblr: whaleswithwings73 (come talk to me!)
> 
> have a good day/night wherever you are!!
> 
> (btw the next 2ish chapters are pretty short so yea)


	6. the next morning

“Wake up sleepyhead” Michael nudged Jeremy’s shoulders

 

Jeremy opened his eyes slowly and saw Michael sitting on the edge of the bed smiling down at him. Jeremy groaned and hid his face in the pillow. 

 

“C’mon” Michael offered his hand to Jeremy and helped him sit up. Jeremy glanced down at his feet.

 

“I-uh, thank you”

 

“No worries Jer”

 

Jeremy’s heart fluttered a little at the nickname.

 

“Can I ask what happened to cause it?” Jeremy’s heart started to race at that

 

“Um”

 

“It’s totally okay if you can’t I just want to know so I can help if it happens again.”

 

Jeremy took a few seconds to breathe

 

“Back in high school I was dating this guy…” He took a pause and Michael placed a hand on his leg.

 

“He...he was incredible at first. He was kind and attractive and everyone loved him. Compared to him...well compared to everyone I was a nobody. He started off small just commenting on my looks or habits. I thought he was just looking out for me until he started changing everything about me. His comments were sharp and I believed them. I basically fully depended on him without even realizing it. Every time I mess up I think he’s gonna yell at me or hurt me and I can’t even go a long time without hearing his voice.” Jeremy started choking up “Luckily, Christine noticed how distanced I was from everyone and managed to help me out of the situation” At this point tears were rolling down his face “The worst part is is that his voice just rings everything he’s ever said to me so I can’t ever get those thoughts out of my head.”

 

“What does he say?” Michael asked carefully

 

“I’m a burden. I can only depend on him. Nobody likes me and nobody will ever love me. Everything about me is awful and I wanna die” Jeremy’s voice broke on the last sentence and sobs took over his body. 

 

Michael pulled him up into a hug and held him for a bit. He rubbed comforting circles into his back and threaded his fingers in his hair until he calmed down. 

 

“Hey” he whispered “I know we’ve only known each other for a small time but don’t you ever hesitate to come to me about this stuff okay? You’re an amazing guy and super talented as well. You’re probably the best person I’ve met at college and I want to help you as much as I can. Also, none of what your ex told you is true. You are incredible and I don’t want you to forget that.”

 

Jeremy breathed for a few more seconds just taking in the soft swaying of the hug. Michael pulled back slowly. “I have class at 11:00 so I have to go but you can stay here if you want”

 

“I think I’m gonna head over to Christine’s or to the theater but… thanks” Jeremy said grinning softly as he looked up at Michael.

 

Soon enough Jeremy was alone in the apartment. He searched around and noticed small little details. There were tons of polaroids dotting the walls, messy journals and papers on tables, an old record player, and hundreds of vinyls sitting next to said object. Michael’s whole apartment seemed to be filled with music related objects. Jeremy glanced over to the tall windows and looked out into the city. He felt at peace watching the sun light up the streets and pour into the room. Jeremy eventually drifted back to the front door and texted Michael he was leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! sorry for that super long break my mental health just crashed and ive been super busy this summer :( 
> 
> i have one question...  
> option a- the story ends after the final performance of the show  
> option b- the story continues into the summer (the only problem is i dont know where the plot would go from there)  
> answer in the comments below!
> 
> have a good day/evening wherever you are :)


	7. finals, video games, and late night chats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey here's a slight warning of a panic attack in here!! just wanted y'all to be safe

 

Jeremy dragged himself out of Christine’s place early in the morning to set off on the task to take finals. He passed the campus’s coffee shop and ducked inside to grab a quick breakfast. After picking up his order on the table he plopped down into a small table in a corner. The store was quiet with barely anyone else there. Jeremy heard a small squeak of a chair and looked up. He met the gaze of the familiar set of dark eyes.

 

“Someone’s up early”

 

“So are you” Jeremy replied with a small smile

 

“Finals?”

 

“Yep”

 

Jeremy went back to eating his small breakfast when Michael spoke again

 

“So” he paused “are you nervous for tomorrow?”

 

Jeremy replied with a small nod, remembering what happened at rehearsal and not wanting it to happen again. 

 

“Hey you’re gonna do awesome” Michael whispered, leaning closer “You are amazing in rehearsal so why would this be any different?” Jeremy raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak but Michael beat him to it

 

“That was a rhetorical question, don’t actually answer you dork” Michael and Jeremy both laughed at that

 

The two finished eating in silence as the shop started filling up a little as time went on. 

 

“Do you think after finals you would be up to hanging out at my place?” 

 

Jeremy replied “Of course” but almost a little too quick. Jeremy looked down at his watch and his eyes widened. He scrambled to gather his stuff when Michael asked

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“I’m gonna be late to finals”

 

Michael started cracking up and Jeremy shot him a dirty look that melted in seconds. Jeremy was all set to leave and said goodbye to Michael.

 

“Good luck!” Michael yelled as Jeremy exited the shop. Jeremy shook his head as he briskly walked to his final exam.

 

Nothing exciting happened. Jeremy just sat there for hours trying to not lose all the information he learned in the past year on this one question. Many hours later after sitting in a very uncomfortable chair, Jeremy finished and was free to leave. All energy was practically drained from Jeremy’s body as he found a way to bench outside. 

 

Jeremy: just finished :)

 

Michael: awesome! See you soon!

 

Jeremy smiled at his phone and left to go to Michael’s. 

 

Jeremy: here

 

Michael came down to open the building door and guided Jeremy to his apartment. Jeremy instantly felt comfortable as he stepped in. He luckily hadn’t had another panic attack since that incident so he didn’t need to talk to Michael but he did miss this place. 

 

“Do you want anything to drink?”

 

“Honestly coffee would be nice” Jeremy’s exhaustion hit him as he sat down on the couch. He glanced out the window and studied the city spread out before him. He didn’t realize he was spacing out until he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He looked over to see Michael handing him a small mug full of hot coffee. 

 

“So how do you think it went?” 

 

Jeremy just groaned as a reply

 

“That bad huh?”

 

“I guess. It was alright but tests just suck”

 

“I agree”

 

Jeremy remembered the large collection of vinyls as he gazed around the room

 

“How many vinyls do you have?”

 

“Oh, um” Michael blushed a little a scratched his head “Over 200?”

 

Jeremy gaped

 

“I got my first one when I was six. It was from my grandfather and ever since then, well…” Michael’s gaze focused on the record player

 

“Dude that’s awesome!”

 

“Hah...thanks. Oh! That reminds me” Michael rushed over to the small table the record player sat on and grabbed his phone “I meant to send you this earlier but here”

 

Jeremy saw a text notification pop up with a link to a music playlist. He clicked on it and saw the playlist was called “-chilling-” and scrolled through seeing no songs he recognized.

 

“I-uh wanted to give you a playlist to help you relax or calm down if you ever needed it”

 

Jeremy felt heat rising to his cheeks. He stayed silent for a little bit still trying to take in the small information. Michael had made a playlist. For him. For when he needed help with anxiety or anything.

 

“You don’t have to listen to it if you don’t want to-” Michael started back peddling thinking Jeremy thought the gesture was weird

 

“No! No I love it! Sorry it’s just no one has ever done anything like this for me before”

 

Michael smiled and his eyes crinkled up. Jeremy matched his smile but got distracted by something over Michael’s shoulder. A poster for AotD. He almost forgot Michael played.

 

“Do you wanna play Apocalypse of the Damned?” Jeremy asked

 

“Yeah!”

 

They slipped into a strategy. One person would go ahead and the other would warn about enemies. They worked together well. Between all the screaming, yelling, and cheering, time slipped by. The two didn’t realize how long they were playing until it was dark outside and Jeremy was freaking out about missing dinner with Christine. This resulted in him feverishly texting her apologies and her reassuring him that it was totally okay and to have fun. Michael offered to stay at his place.

 

“Are you sure? You really don’t have to let me stay”

 

“Of course dude.”

 

Michael made them dinner and they chatted about more video games. When both boys finished Michael had an idea.

 

“Do you wanna go to the roof?”

 

“What?”

 

“Come on! It’s super cool and the view of the city is incredible.”

 

Once again, Jeremy followed Michael up the stairwell all the way up to the roof. Jeremy fell behind from exhaustion but eventually made it. He walked out to Michael, who could only be seen by his silhouette. Michael was resting on the wall with his gaze out into the city. The lights reflected on his glasses and skin gently, making him look delicate to touch. Jeremy mimicked Michael's position. The wind brushed by and the sounds of the city filled the boys’ ears.

 

“The universe is so weird” Michael started. Jeremy looked left towards him. 

 

“Like there are so many stars and galaxies and planets. How does everything even work together? How did the two of us even end up meeting? Especially with the whole concept of time, what was the luck we met? Even if you just focus on what’s on Earth it’s wild to think about.”

 

“If the universe is so big I wonder how much we matter” Jeremy added

 

Michael looked over at him “I believe that everything happens for a reason and that everyone has a purpose.” Michael moved closer “And if the universe brought you into my life…” he paused “then that’s the best thing the universe has ever done for me” Michael whispered staring directly into Jeremy’s eyes. 

 

Jeremy could hear his heart pounding and his face feel hot. He thanked the universe for it being night so Michael couldn’t see his blush. Jeremy rushed forward into Michael’s arms for a hug. Michael held him tight and Jeremy felt a little bit of tears pricking at his eyes from happiness. He managed to not cry but still breathe in the scent of Michael. Eventually Jeremy pulled back but Michael’s face was still very close. Jeremy searched Michael’s eyes for an answer to a question he wasn’t even sure he answered for himself. Michael’s arms were around his waist and pulled him closer. 

 

Of course, during all of this Jeremy’s anxiety spiked. Jeremy’s vision swam and his hands started shaking. He felt like he couldn’t breathe.  He couldn’t even remember where he was or what just happened. He started hearing a voice come through the chaos

 

“Jeremy”

 

It was Michael. Right. They were on the roof.

 

“Hey breathe with me okay?”

 

Jeremy was still in Michael’s arms but one hand was in Michael’s, practically a death grip. He struggled to control his breathing but Michael kept encouraging him. Michael was rubbing his back, trying to soothe him. Jeremy calmed down but wouldn’t let go of Michael’s hand.

 

“Are you feeling better?”

 

Jeremy looked up at him with scared eyes. He shook his head indicating no.

 

“Alright. How bout we go back down to my place?” Michael started slowly guiding Jeremy to the door but another round of anxiety hit him and made him freeze. Michael noticed

 

“Okay okay, it’s alright Miah. I’m right here” Michael said softly

 

Michael kept working with Jeremy as he pulled out his phone. He flipped to the playlist he made for Jeremy and hit shuffle. A slow beat began and Jeremy tuned into the music. Almost instantly, Jeremy felt his breathing go back to normal and his anxiety recede. He closed his eyes and relaxed. When the song finished he slowly opened his eyes and Michael silently guided him back to his apartment. 

 

Silence hung in the air and Jeremy felt incredibly guilty. Michael walked away from him and grabbed a guitar. Michael started playing a small tune and Jeremy slowly sat down next to him. Jeremy was entranced at the calm presence and leaned into Michael as he continued playing.  The warmth from Michael seeped into Jeremy and lulled him to a peaceful state as he laid his head on Michael’s shoulder. The song slowly faded and Michael placed his head on top Jeremy’s. The two boys sat there in silence soaking in each others presence. Jeremy looked down to find his hand intertwined with Michael’s and gave a small squeeze. Michael squeezed back and moved his head to give a small kiss to the top of Jeremy’s head. Jeremy instantly flushed but smiled and closed his eyes. The two of them stayed like that a little longer before Jeremy glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned.

 

“I have to go”

 

Michael made a small noise of disagreement as Jeremy moved away and stood up. Jeremy lazily made his way over to the door when Michael suddenly ran over and opened the door for him. Jeremy smiled back at him as he kept walking down the hallway. When Jeremy returned to his dorm that guilty feeling returned. He curled up in bed and couldn’t fathom any reason why Michael could possibly like him back. He scrolled through tumblr finding posts that fit his mind set until it was way past when he should be asleep. In the midst of all the soul searching, a text notification popped up from Michael. 

 

Michael: for when you’re feeling lonely

 

A small link appeared to another spotify playlist. Jeremy instantly felt his insides warm and his mouth quirk up into a small smile. He knew Jeremy so well. Jeremy opened the playlist and hit play. He drifted off to small love songs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me? posting a chapter a day? i know it's wild
> 
> so i decided how this fic will end but you won't know until you read it! I finished writing the entire thing so I'll update a chapter a day :)
> 
> the song michael played at the end is called Hello My Old Heart- The Oh Hellos (one of my fav bands)
> 
> as always comments a kudos are greatly appreciated!!   
> my tumblr- whaleswithwings73 (you can ask me questions or just talk to me there)
> 
> have good day/night wherever you are!!


	8. opening night

Jeremy woke up bleary eyed and full of anxiety. Today was the big day. Opening night.

 

He checked his phone for hundreds of text notifications from a very excited Christine. Chuckling, he got dressed, ate, packed his bag, and headed out to go to the theater. Even though the show wasn’t until tonight he always loved being in an empty theater. Jeremy worked to calm his nerves as he laid in his dressing room. Somehow time passed very quickly and before he knew Christine peeked into the room. 

 

The two of them ran through small warmups and just talked until they had to get dressed. 

 

Jeremy slipped into his costume and touched up his hair before someone came in to do his makeup. Once the makeup was done he looked down as his phone vibrated.

 

Michael: for when you need motivation

 

A link to a spotify playlist.

 

Jeremy instantly opened it and relished in the music that was so  _ Michael _

 

The music swept away his thoughts of failure and anxiety and places were called.

 

Jeremy could feel the excitement buzzing in his bones. The music started up, the lights faded, and the curtain rose. The show began.

  
  
  


Jeremy was full of glee when he returned to his dressing room after final bows. He collapsed onto his chair and stared at himself in the mirror. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted flowers. He turned to his left and saw a small bouquet sitting next to his bag. White carnations bloomed beautifully while yellow acacia extended outwards. Scattered around were small forget-me-nots. Jeremy reached out for the paper note attached.

 

_ Happy opening night darling _

 

  * __Michael__



 

 

Jeremy blushed at the gift and the name given to him.  _ You’ve fallen too hard _

 

“Oh shut up” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

 

Christine wandered in and squealed behind him. Jeremy jumped so high he almost hit his head on the ceiling.

 

“Give a guy a warning!” Jeremy squeaked

 

“How’s your boy doing?” Christine giggled

 

“He’s not my boy!” Jeremy glanced sideways and blushed “But...we’re good. I think”

 

“What do you mean you think?”

 

“Well we’re not in a relationship”

 

“What? How?” Christine became worried

 

“I just keep having anxiety attacks before any moves he tries to make”

 

“Oh Jer” Christine pulled Jeremy into a tight embrace

 

“I’m in too deep” He mumbled while Christine tried her best to comfort him.

 

“As much as I want to help you two get together, we just opened the show and it was fantastic so let’s go grab some cookies or something okay?” 

 

“Alright”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe one more chapter and then this story is finished!
> 
> sorry this chapter was lowkey boring. i promise the next one is better
> 
> visit me on tumblr! whaleswithwings73  
> comments and kudos are much appreciated :)  
> have good day/night wherever you are <3


	9. the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please please please read the chapter notes at the end! thank you!!

After the first show, Michael seemed to distance himself slowly from Jeremy. Jeremy still got a daily playlist from him, for example, for when you need to cry, for when you need to dance, for when you need a bit of nostalgia, etc. While Jeremy appreciated this, he still wondered what was going on. 

 

All too soon it was the final performance. Jeremy loved this show with all his heart and was sad to let it go. Jeremy slid on his shoes after getting his costume on when he heard footsteps coming to his room. There in the doorway was Michael.

 

“Hey” Michael greeted

 

“Hi there”

 

Michael was dressed in all black. A black button down that was rolled up to his elbows. His pants that almost fit too smug. Polished shoes and slicked back hair. And  _ God that smile _ . 

 

Jeremy could feel the heat rising to his face 

 

“I just wanted to tell you to break a leg tonight and also...um” Michael looked down and Jeremy tilted his head in curiosity. 

 

“I was wondering if you wanted to maybe come over after the per-”

 

“No”

 

“What?”

_ What?! _ Jeremy’s mouth seemed to be working on it’s own.

 

“I’m gonna have to pass” _ No! I wanna go with him! _

 

Michael looked so hurt and took a few steps back.

 

“O-okay then...I’ll see you around Jeremy” Michael walked away with his head down.

 

Tears stung in Jeremy’s eyes.  _ What did I just do?  _

 

“Five minutes to places I repeat this is your five minute call” 

 

_ Get it together Jeremy _

 

Michael’s playlist for anxiety wasn’t working and he couldn’t find Christine anywhere. Places got called and Jeremy rushed to his spot. Christine appeared soon after and gazed up at Jeremy with concern. 

 

“Jer?”

 

Jeremy shifted his gaze toward Christine 

 

“I messed up”

 

“What hap-”

 

The opening music began and the two ran out of time.

 

“We will talk about this later but right now you need to get out there and kick some butt. You’ve worked too hard for this moment to just be swept away from you” Jeremy managed a watery smile. He wiped away his tears and focused on his character. Without hesitation he walked onstage and began the show.

 

\-------

 

Jeremy walked offstage full of happiness and totally forgot why he was sad in the first place. That is until he reached his dressing room and saw Christine sitting there. 

 

“So what happened?” She whispered 

 

“I don’t  _ know _ !” Jeremy’s voice broke and Christine moved so he could sit down as well. 

“He came in and asked me if I wanted to go to his place and my heart said yes but once I started talking I couldn’t stop and I told him no!” 

 

Jeremy tried to control himself but he couldn’t, he just kept rambling

 

“I’m so afraid of losing him Christine! He’s so kind and caring and I hurt him! Who does that? Why couldn’t I just say yes?” He sniffled

 

“You’re still afraid” Christine said gently “Afraid of being in love”

 

Jeremy knew she was right. After a few minutes Jeremy calmed down and Christine left him with some small advice

 

“You need to go after him”

 

Jeremy nodded and was soon alone with his thoughts. He pulled out his headphones and phone and noticed a notification

 

Michael: the things i wanted to tell you but couldn’t

 

Jeremy’s heart pounded at that. He hit shuffle on the playlist and wandered to the stage and sat at the edge of it. Love songs flooded his ears and his cheeks were suddenly wet. Everything hit Jeremy all at once. Michael loved him back.

 

Jeremy rushed to change out of his costume and into a white button up. He then slipped on a dark green sweater over and put dark jeans on. He fiddled with the laces of his boots with shaky hands and stuffed everything into his bag. As soon as he knew it he was sprinting to Michael’s place at 11:35pm. He climbed up the apartment building’s stairs two at a time until he reached the right floor. Breathing heavily, Jeremy paused in front of Michael’s door. Jeremy slowly reached up and quietly knocked on the door. Jeremy’s heart didn’t slow and the few seconds before Michael opened the door seemed like an eternity. 

 

The door knob twisted and Michael appeared and looked at Jeremy with a hidden expresion. Jeremy was the first to speak.

 

“Michael I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to blow you off like that.” Michael glanced downwards. “Please just let me explain myself and then I can leave as soon as I’m done.”

 

Michael opened the door wider silently and let Jeremy inside. Michael brushed past Jeremy on his way to fix the lighting. Even in the dark Jeremy could see Michael’s undone bowtie and sad eyes. A small bit of light was provided by a lamp in the corner near the couch. Silence hung in the air

 

“Uh Jeremy?”

 

“Oh right so…” Jeremy couldn’t find the right words. He couldn’t do this. He wanted Michael so bad it hurt.  His heart was full of so much desire that before he could even think about what he was doing, Jeremy crossed the room, grabbed onto the undone bowtie with both hands and kissed Michael.

 

He  _ kissed _ Michael. Every sense of logic suddenly came back to him. Jeremy pulled away disgusted with himself. As soon as he was pulled away, Michael grabbed him by the hips and kissed him instead. Jeremy melted into the kiss and his heart rose. The kiss felt magical and Jeremy couldn’t believe it was happening. Kissing Michael was slow but passionate. It drew Jeremy crazy and left him wanting more. The two broke apart keeping the other close. Jeremy was still full of shock that he forgot how to speak.

 

“I-uh um”

 

Michael chuckled and held onto Jeremy tighter. A kiss was planted on Jeremy’s nose and Jeremy managed to turn even more red. 

 

“Michael I like you...a lot. Maybe even more than like? Sorry I’m just afraid of this”

 

“Hey it’s alright. I really like you too Jeremy”

 

Jeremy’s heart soared and their lips connected again in the semi-lit room. They broke apart again and Michael spoke

 

“I invited you over for this” 

 

Michael guided Jeremy over to a small room that he’d never been in before. The room was dark except for the strings of fairy lights hanging down on the walls. There was a piano in the corner of the room and furniture with sheets over it to make a blanket fort. The room wasn’t that large but it felt comfy. Jeremy glided over to the piano and sat down, Michael following right behind him. 

 

Michael started playing and Jeremy instantly recognized the song. What a sap. 

 

_ City of stars _

_ Are you shining just for me? _

 

When it came to Jeremy’s turn he slipped in perfectly. The song continued.

 

_ A look in somebody’s eyes _

_ To light up the sky _

_ To open the world and send it reeling _

_ A voice that says, “I’ll be here” _

_ And “you’ll be alright” _

 

Jeremy glanced at Michael and Michael looked back.

 

_ You never shined so brightly _

 

Michael leaned his forehead on Jeremy’s and took his hand.

 

“Oh!” Michael suddenly stood and dragged Jeremy over to the mess of blankets. He pulled one back and ushered Jeremy inside the fort. Even though it was a blanket fort Jeremy thought it was beautiful. More fairy lights were inside and Jeremy’s heart skipped a beat. He sat down in the mounds of pillows and Michael settled down next to him. Jeremy’s eyes wandered around and admired everything. His eyes found Michael’s and realized he was looking at him.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing. You’re just really cute”

 

Jeremy bit his lip and grinned looking down. 

 

“I should probably explain what happened in the dressing room. Michael listened the whole time to Jeremy’s explanation that turned into him telling Michael why he’s afraid of love and almost panicking.

 

“Hey,” Michael placed his hand on top of Jeremy’s “If you do want to be with me we can go as slow as you want. I care about you a lot Jeremy and I wanna remind you of that everyday.”

 

“I...I do wanna be with you” Jeremy blushed

 

“Good cause I love you”

 

Jeremy blushed even more. Michael pulled him in for another kiss and Jeremy was truly happy for the first time in a long time. Jeremy’s exhaustion hit him after the kiss stopped and he laid down. Michael followed suit and wrapped the two of them in a blanket. Jeremy buried his head in Michael’s chest and Michael kissed the top of his head.

 

“Good night Jer”

 

“Night Mikey” 

 

The universe let the two drift off in peace.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hooray it is finally finished!! so this concludes my first ever series/multiple chapter writing i guess
> 
> a note on the last chapter- yellow acacia means true friendship or secret love which i thought was really cool
> 
> is there a future for this fic? maybe! i kinda wanna rewrite some of this to try and make it better and add more detail and/or characters but that wont be anytime soon :)
> 
> this will be my last fic for a while (?) marching band starts on wednesday for me so ill be suuuuuuper busy until november but i am in the process of writing a song fic with boyf riends as the main focus and i have an idea for a richjake one shot i think. that one is angsty lol. if you wanna stay updated with me please come and talk to me or ask questions on my tumblr!
> 
> whaleswithwings73 
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated and i hope you have a good day/night wherever you are <3  
> (also if you have any questions that i didn't clear up in the fic feel free to ask)

**Author's Note:**

> soooooo this is my first series!  
> im going to try and update every week at least once.  
> i dont know how long this series will be and i already have some ideas for the story so yea :)   
> i hope you liked this first chapter!  
> comments and kudos are always appreciated and have a good day/night wherever you are <3


End file.
